Youth Update: June 18, 2012

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – The New England Revolution’s Under-18 and Under-16 youth teams both qualified for the U.S. Soccer Development Academy Playoffs with their performances this past weekend. The teams went a combined 3-1-0 against Seacoast United and Empire United to close the regular-season.

Both teams finished second in their respective age groups of the Northeast Division of the Development Academy’s East Conference. The performances clinched the teams’ spots in the postseason, which begins next Monday, June 25, in Frisco, Texas.

UNDER-18s

On Saturday, the Under-18s earned a 4-0 victory at Seacoast United. Ramiro Osorio (Hooksett, N.H.) opened the Revolution’s account in the 16th minute with a goal that was assisted by Manny Andrade (Boston, Mass.). Christian Sady (North Andover, Mass.) then doubled New England’s advantage in the 21st minute. Dominik Machado (Attleboro, Mass.) beat three defenders to slip Sady through, assisting the U16 defender for his first goal with the U18s. Osorio later scored two more goals, completing his first hat trick as a member of the Revolution: in the 27th minute, assisted by Peguy Ngatcha (Manchester, N.H.) and in the 54th minute off a free kick. Matt Mozynski (Bellingham, Mass.) made three saves to preserve the shutout, his sixth of the season.

The U18s then closed the regular-season with a 4-0 loss at Empire United on Sunday. Darren Cooper scored in the 15th minute to put the home side ahead before a 31st-minute goal by Stefanos Stamoulacatos made it 2-0. Cooper furthered Empire’s lead two minutes later, sending the Revs into halftime facing a 3-0 deficit. On the other side of the break, Stamoulacatos scored once more in the 67th minute.

UNDER-16s

On Saturday, the Under-16s topped Seacoast United, 4-3. Danny Apajee (Cranston, R.I.) put the Revs ahead in the seventh minute, slotting Amadu Kunateh’s (Salem, Mass.) cross home. Seacoast responded with an equalizer and the go-ahead goal in the 27th and 36th minutes, respectively. New England went into the break down a goal, but leveled the score early in the second half. Assisted by Apajee headed in Gabe Gissie’s (Worcester, Mass.) pass for his second goal past Seacoast goalkeeper Anthony Farrara in the 48th minute. Jason Underhill then put the home side ahead once more in the 58th minute, but the Revs came firing back shortly after. Kunateh scored his second goal of the game in the 65th minute and Matt Nyeayea (Worcester, Mass.) notched the game-winner in the 72nd, with Gissie was credited with the assist on both.

The U16s earned a 4-1 victory against Empire United on Sunday. Kevin Herrera (Lynn, Mass.) converted Nyeayea’s pass to score in the 24th minute to give the Revs a lead they would never relinquish. Freddie Ferre (Waltham, Mass.) then scored a pair of goals, both assisted by Nyeayea, in the 31st and 37th minutes. Empire’s Matt Vuylsteke put one away in the 45th minute to make it 3-1 at the break. Nyeayea scored once more in the 53rd minute, combining with Herrera, to bring the final score to 4-1 in favor of the Revs.

NOTES

With the win and loss, the Under-18 team closed out the season with a 12-10-4 (40 pts.) overall record and with a 6-3-1 (19 pts.) division record, finished second in the Northeast Division of the U.S. Soccer Development Academy’s East Conference.

With the pair of wins, the Under-16s closed out the season with a 17-6-3 (54 pts.) overall record and with its 7-1-2 (23 pts.) divisional mark, finished second in the division

The youth teams travel to Frisco, Texas, next week to compete in the Development Academy Playoffs, held from June 25 through 29 … The U18s will play group games against the New York Red Bulls (N.Y.), Chivas USA (Calif.) and Charlotte Soccer Academy (N.C.) … the U16s will take on the Dallas Texans (Texas), Alberston SC (N.Y.) and Pateadores (Calif.).

The U16s have qualified for Playoffs each of the last three years (2010, 2011 and 2012), while the U18s have qualified twice in three years (2010, 2012) … the Revolution launched its youth development program ahead of the 2008-09 season.